The Impala's interior suddenly seemed too quiet save for the lone ticking of the cooling engine. Sam had pulled over beside an old run-down bar/diner that boasted internet access from a half-broken sign above the windows.
Jason raised a speculative eyebrow at the dilapidated shack of a building, scarcely concealing his sneer as he followed Sam inside. "What a dive," he muttered.
Sam shot him a look to silence him and he raised his hands in a shrug. It was a dive.
Sam tried to ignore the quiet of the room as he walked in, the way all heads turned to look over him before whispering to one another in hushed voices...in hindsight he should have cleaned himself up a bit before entering-he was a complete mess.
"Hey buddy, we don't want any trouble in here tonight alright?" a middle-aged man of formidable build emerged from behind the counter, his deep tone filled with warning.
A sigh escaped Sam as he turned to meet the man's gaze with a wan smile of exhaustion, "I'm not here for any trouble sir, I just need the internet..."
The man gave a nod and pointed to a booth at the far corner of the room situated by a jukebox that was piping out Clapton's Lay down Sally. A sharp pang filled his gut as he heard Dean humming that very song in his head.
Jason and Sam slid into the booth and Jason watched Sam as he scrubbed at weary, blood-shot eyes as he waited for his laptop to boot up. The screen washed a blue glow over his features, picking out each and every cut marring his face, enhancing the multitude of bruises purpling down his head and jaw and across the exposed flesh of his arms. Jason looked down at his own hands-free of bruises-and back over to Sam's. He bit his lip as he looked his friend over, imagining the pain Sam was in, 'cause, God, he ached, so Sam must have been pounding!
"You alright?" he asked softly, concern lacing his words.
"Yeah, fine," Sam managed hoarsely. "What?" he asked at Jason's quirked eyebrow.
"You're fine?" the scepticism and disbelief was obvious in his voice as Jason motion to the wounds coating almost every inch of Sam's frame.
Sam gave a tiny laugh, "Trust me-this isn't bad. I'm okay Jason, really... I'll get Hannah back for you. You have my word."
'This isn't bad.' The words tumbled around Jason's head and he wondered with horror what was 'bad' to the Winchesters.
"You boys havin' a drink? What about somethin' to eat? You look like you could use it," their patron asked, hands folded across his broad chest as he rocked on the balls of his feet. His stern features softened as he took in the two hunched forms before him.
"Eh, yeah, we'll take two burgers and beers. Thanks." Jason answered before Sam could fully comprehend the question.
"Sure," the man said, returning moments later to place a beer before each of the boys. "Shout if you want another, I'm Todd."
"Thank you." Jason said as Sam managed a tired smile.
"Jason-we-I don't know if-"
"Shut up Sam. You have got to eat something-you're gonna keel over if you don't and then you'll be no use to me or Hannah...or Dean. We have time for this. You have to." Jason pre-empted his excuses before he even finished them.
Sam gave a grateful nod followed by a heavy exhale before turning the screen towards Jason, finger pointed to a flagged up mark on the map before them.
"You know where that is?"
"Yeah, not far actually..." Jason replied, an upbeat lilt taking hold of him as their luck changed.
"You smell that?" Kate said with a smile as she appeared back in the main room of the warehouse, dappled light falling on her figure as she paced past the large windows to stand before Karl. He was knelt down over Dean's still unconscious form.
He turned to face her, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth and she scowled at his dilated pupils.
"Don't be too hasty Karl-don't take too much or he'll dry up...now do you smell that? It's his brother. He must be close."
"Not long to wait now then...good..." Karl growled, low and deep and long.
"Yes...not long...but I want you to find out where he is-I don't want him sneaking up on us-look what happened the last time we lost their scent. I won't let that happen again...no, I want you to find him and if he tries anything do what you have to do to subdue him. I need him to complete this..." Kate said, eyes taking on a misty, far-away quality as she let her imagination drift.
Karl stood up to his full height and gave a grin as he licked the blood from around his mouth. His own gaze was filled with anticipation and utter devotion as he looked down upon his creator. He would do what she asked. He was eternally in her debt for the joy she had given him, the life she had granted...
"Hurry," she said forcefully breaking into his reverie, "Take some of the others with you."
He nodded and stalked off to quickly change into clean clothes so as not to attract any undue attention to himself, Kate watching him as he left before her eyes flicked back over to Dean, bound and limp against his post...
"Don't worry Dean," she crooned into his ear as he groaned, "Sam will be joining you sooner than you think."
Shadows passed the window, low voices laughing and excited. Her gaze fell upon Karl as he stopped and looked inside to give a singular nod before walking away with the others to fulfil her wishes.
Sam gave a sigh of contentment as he set aside the last few fries on his plate, washing down a mouthful of food with some beer. He let his body relax another increment before he stood to make his way over the restrooms by the other side of the bar, stopping suddenly as his body listed, the wave returning to surge in his head for a moment until it was dispelled by a deep breath. His hand gripped the tabletop hard until he steadied himself and gave a weary sigh. Sam ignored Jason as he made his way across the room, nodding at Todd on his way past the bar.
Hidden in the sanctuary of the restroom Sam allowed himself to crumble once again, his legs shook beneath him and his sight was blurry...he felt like he was seeing through someone else's eyes...it was surreal. He leant over a sink, allowing the old porcelain to hold him upright even though he didn't fully trust it with his weight, splashing his face with cold water to clear his head, to remove the clinging fog blanketing him.
I'm so tired...
His hand reached back to rub at the persistent ache residing across his shoulders and back, and he winced as he over-stretched his battered ribs.
"Eurg," Sam groaned, crouching down even lower to the sink so that his forehead rested on its basin. It felt cold yet pleasant against his suddenly too hot, sweat dappled skin. The nausea slowly subsided as the spiking pain faded to a dull throb and so Sam straightened up as best he could manage and attempted to clear some of the dirt and grime from himself.
You look like crap...
Dean's voice played out in Sam's head as he gazed at himself in the mirror. He could even see his older brother's concerned quirk of the eyebrows if he closed his eyes...
God Dean, how did this happen? I told him we shouldn't have split up! Next time we get supplies together.
"Holy crap, the supplies!" Sam whispered aloud, watching through bleak brown eyes as all colour drained from his face as the implications of his realisation sank in.
He bolted from the small tiled room seconds later, hurtling past other patrons in his haste to get to the Impala's trunk. Jason's call of query and concern went unheeded as Sam erupted through the door to stumble out into the night, his stomach rebelling in outrage at himself as his gaze fell upon several dark figures stepping out from the shadows.
He didn't need to see them to know they were vampires.
He could feel It coming from them in cold waves, spreading out, engulfing...freezing...
Evil.
"Sam! What the hell?!" Jason's voice broke his momentary reverie, startling him into action.
"Get inside now! Get everyone round back into safety and lock all the doors and windows." He ordered, already inside the trunk grabbing up weapons. He glanced up when he didn't hear Jason move, "Do you hear me?! GO!" Sam yelled, slamming the trunk of the Impala with a loud thunk.
"What about you?!" Jason finally asked urgently.
"Don't worry about me just do as I said. I'll hold them off as long as I can." Sam injected as much authority into his tone as he could, realising with a start that he sounded just like John.
I wish you were here Dad...he thought as he buckled the two machete knifes round his waist.
Sam ignored the look of shocked terror floating across Jason's features as he loaded up an arrow into the crossbow held in his hands. He soaked the shaft in the blood from the small vial collected by Dean previously before dipping several more that he positioned beside the knife in his ankle holster. His eyes never left the shadowed figures stalking towards him, hands never faltered in their sightless motion. Sam forced his knee to stop bouncing up and down in anticipation and stowed the vial of blood in his pocket.
"Come on..." he muttered, "come closer..."
Give me a clear shot...
"Come on..."
Bang. The gunshot echoed loudly in the stillness of the night, followed not a moment later by a guttural cry of pain as it sent Sam sprawling to the ground, crossbow fallen from his hands as he clawed instinctively at his arm to hold back the fire of agony that the bullet had induced.
"SAM!" Jason's scream came only seconds after that as he burst through the doorway. His eyes lighted on Sam's prostrate figure and he dropped to his knees just as another gunshot went off.
Bang. It rent through the air as if physically parting the heavy cloak of dread and despair weighing down Jason, pressing in upon him, mocking his earlier naive hope of luck.
"Get up! Come on! GO! GO!" he called frantically, pulling Sam along, not noticing the green hue of Sam's face as he fought the rapid bile rising in his throat at the abusive grip on his injured arm.
They staggered through the door once again, slamming it shut behind them as a third gunshot tore through the night.
Bang. The door splintered as the bullet impacted, raining down a tiny flurry of solid oak outside.
Wordlessly the duo raced around the room, moving furniture into place before the doorway in an attempt to bar it shut.
Bang. Glass shattered in a cacophony of noise as one of the windows blew in.
Jason threw himself to the ground with a loud curse. Sam ran forward moments later and shoved another table against the window frame before helping Jason to his feet.
"Come on-that won't hold them." Sam said, eyeing their makeshift defences ruefully. He stooped to pick up the crossbows that Jason had somehow managed to drag inside along with him and handed the young cop one of them.
"Think you can fire one of these?"
A/N: Again I am very sorry for the delay-University has me very busy again. Thanks to those of you who are sticking with this so faithfully, and especially to those of you who are reviewing. It's good to know someone is enjoying it and that I'm not wasting valuble study time lol! Much appreciated guys XX
